Minutes of proceedings

EXPIRATION OF PERIOD FOR DEBATE OF BUDGET PROGRAMS (5PM)

At that point, the Chairman advised as the time had reached 5pm, the period allowed for debate of budget programs had expired.

(a) every budget program not yet debated; and

(b) every budget program debated but not yet voted upon; and

(c) every budget program partially debated and voted upon.

Chairman: So I will put the motion for Program 6, Economic Development.

Motion put:

The Chairman submitted to the Chamber the motion for the adoption of the Economic Development program and it was declared carried on the voices.

7. CUSTOMER FOCUS PROGRAM:

Chairman: I will put the motion—when you're ready—I will put the motion for Program 7, the Customer Focus program; the motion for the adoption of the Customer Focus program.

The Chairman submitted to the Chamber the motion for the adoption of the Customer Focus program and it was declared carried on the voices.

8. CITY GOVERNACE PROGRAM:

Chairman: I will put the motion of the adoption of the City Governance program which is Program 8.

The Chairman submitted to the Chamber the motion for the adoption of the City Governance program and it was declared carried on the voices.

BUSINESSES AND COUNCIL PROVIDERS:

Chairman: I will put the motion for the program for the Businesses and Providers of Council.

The Chairman submitted the motion for the Businesses and Council Providers of to the Chamber without debate and it was declared carried on the voices.

ADOPTION OF THE BUDGET FOR FINANCIAL YEAR 2015-16

The LORD MAYOR, Councillor Graham QUIRK, moved, seconded by the Councillor Julian SIMMONDS, that:

“(a) the Budgeted Financial Statements, including the Budgeted Summary of Recommendations, the Budgeted Statement of Comprehensive Income (income and expenditure), the Budgeted Statement of Financial Position, the Budgeted Statement of Cash Flows, the Budgeted Statement of Changes in Equity, the Budgeted Summary of Recommendations – Long Term Financial Forecast and the Budgeted Statement of Financial Ratios and the Revenue Policy and Revenue Statement outlined on pages 7 to 14 of the Annual Plan and Budget Document.

LORD MAYOR: Yes, thanks very much LORD MAYOR—Madam Chairman. It has been a long couple of days.

LORD MAYOR: There's only one certainty about politics, it's uncertainty, Madam Chairman. Madam Chairman, firstly can I commence by thanking all Councillors for their contributions over the last two days. I was reminding all Councillors earlier the fact that this, some years ago, used to go for five full days. So don't feel sad for yourselves it's as simple as that. But can I thank everybody for their contribution. In particular I want to thank Councillor SIMMONDS as the Finance Chair, carrying the lion's share of the work in terms of development of the budget along with myself, obviously.

But also the staff, the CEO Col Jenson, to Greg Evans, to Paul Oberle and his team, we thank you very, very much indeed and to all officers that have been involved in the development of the budget.

Madam Chairman, I guess what we have heard over the course of this last couple of days and, indeed, the Friday before in the Opposition Leader's speech and reply, is a response. I note within that there were issues regarding grass in King George Square, there was issues regarding removing of residential parking fee, there was issues regarding the building of the Kangaroo Point Bridge, issues regarding the setting up of a reserve for disasters.

Madam Chairman, what I was rather hoping for in this budget response was something a bit fresh. Something that, sure, was not a list of anounceables in terms of policy or initiatives for the election period, but this is, in its reality, the last budget prior to an election. I would have hoped that as part of that that there may have been from the Opposition at least a flavour of direction, a flavour of response in terms of what are the key drivers, what will be the key principles that will be a setting, if you like, a setting for the policy and initiative rollout come election time.

Madam Chairman, I was, to that extent somewhat disappointed that there was no flavour presented, there was rather a recasting of things that we already knew, things that had been stated previously. Madam Chairman, this budget, I believe, is a good budget for Brisbane. It's one which advances it even further. It's a budget, Madam Chairman, which I described on the day as one which consisted of five key areas. It was about mobility, it was about liveability, it was about accessibility, it was about job availability and it was also, Madam Chairman, about financial responsibility.

I want to capture in the next few minutes, Madam Chairman, a quick summary in relation to that. It was about making sure that our city kept moving. It was about, Madam Chairman, the additional funds for Kingsford Smith Drive, for Wynnum Road Stage 1, about additional moneys in this budget for the Inner City Bypass four-laning, Madam Chairman, between the Kelvin Grove portal of Legacy Way and that of the Bowen Bridge Road area.

Madam Chairman, it was also about that $100 million that will be spent over this financial year in terms of road resurfacing. It was about many multi-million dollar suburban road projects ranging from the Glen Road upgrade signalisation project through to $37 million for stage 4 of Progress Road. Madam Chairman, it's about 60 new buses, it's about the completion of the refurbishment over a couple of years of the CityCats, the 1996 and 1998 Cats generation 1. $28 million for new bikeways, $29 million for footpaths, and as I indicated, Madam Chairman, in this budget we felt in terms of priorities that the Kangaroo Point Bridge ought to go on hold and we will have discussions with the State around that.

Madam Chairman, liveability, it was about the Botanic Gardens Visitor Information Centre, about the creation of free Wi-Fi within our CBD, about a refresh of those important SCIPs and bringing back the fountains, Madam Chairman, in four locations in the city. Importantly, it was about also enlivening our city, creating a sense of energy through street artworks and through art on infrastructure.

But importantly also, Madam Chairman, the development, the start of a program creating Brisbane as a city of lights. Madam Chairman, the 78 suburban park improvement projects, and $21 million towards maintaining and enhancing our bushland and nature reserves together with the completion of the Karawatha Forest Environment Centre, the performing arts complex and, indeed, the completion of those two new pools at Bracken Ridge and Parkinson.

Accessibility, Madam Chairman, was about the 2,700 bus stops that will be undertaken over that three year period with a $7.7 million spend this year on that program. As well as the $45 million over four years to make further improvements to our ferry terminals and make them disability compliant. But on top of that are the $5.9 million towards people with disability toilets, ramps, facilities for vision and hearing impaired residents and making sure that our Council facilities are even more friendly for people; either our own residents or those visiting those facilities.

Madam Chairman, on job availability, Brisbane 2022 which has been discussed here this afternoon is very much the hallmark of that program. It's about making sure that we do what we can as a city government to refocus the key industries in our city. Not just being resource and energy based but making sure that we do what we can to broaden the opportunities for our young people into the future. Programs like CoderDojo are very important in that process. Taking the number of young people being trained each year from 600 to 1,200.

But also, even within this organisation, Madam Chairman, the opportunity for further traineeships, cadetships, internships and importantly apprenticeships. We are committed to making sure that we bolster that and create more opportunities for our young people.

Finally, Madam Chairman, under the heading of financial responsibility, again, Madam Chairman, this budget I believe has set a rate which is responsible, one which continues to drive this city forward, but at the same time, Madam Chairman, is contained to an average increase of $0.62 per week for the average owner occupier out there in the suburbs of this city.

Madam Chairman, the indebtedness, has been outlined, goes from $1,411 per capita down to $1,088. Importantly and in conclusion, Madam Chairman, this budget also ensures that we maintain as a city government a strong credit rating with a neutral outlook for our city.

Chairman: Further debate?

Councillor DICK.

Councillor DICK: Well thanks very much, Madam Chairman, and I rise to speak on this item primarily on behalf of the ratepayers that not only I represent but the entire Labor Council team.

I listened carefully to what the LORD MAYOR had to say and yes, whilst I'm not directly calling for us to return back to five days of budget, I do believe that we should look at some refinery of our system which enables us, as elected officials, to debate every program. I think that is a sensible approach to handling—if the LORD MAYOR wants to talk about ideas, he wants to talk about vision, we need to be very clear that if elected officials don't get the opportunity to do that, that is not an appropriate way to handle the budget.

We did not—and it's the same now in my eighth and final budget here at the Brisbane City Council, it has been the same every year; we never get to actually debating rates. We don't actually get to debating the final program. Whatever the way you look at it, this decision that we take today, this decision that we take in terms of adopting the budget, in terms of the expenditure, but also the actual levy’s and charges and rates that we will be slugging our citizens, I think that is worthwhile talking about.

In the LORD MAYOR's sum up today, he didn't talk about the rate increases, he didn't talk about the levy and charges that unfortunately many ratepayers from across the city are going to suffer. Just as I highlighted on Friday, just as I raised them on behalf of our lord mayoral candidate, Rod Harding, and also Labor Councillors, whether it be suburbs of Cannon Hill, which is seeing a 5.64 per cent rise, Coopers Plains on 5.4 per cent, Enoggera on 4.07, Ferny Grove on 6.07, Kedron on 4.55, MacGregor on 6.94, Mitchelton on 5.18 per cent and even suburbs like Runcorn on 5.65 per cent. Obviously in the south-west of Brisbane where we've had some of the largest rate rises in the city.

Look, I understand that this is a sensitive issue for the LNP Council because we have seen successive rate rises year in, year out under their Administration. A lot of that has to do with the fact that when it comes to rate rises, there is a pattern under this LNP Council. Low rate rises before the election and then residents and businesses stung very, very hard after the election. We've seen that before the 2008 election, before the 2012 election and now before the 2016 election. The Courier-Mail have got it right when they were describing the issue of rates and charges where they've said it was 2.74 per cent increase before the election then increases totalling 20.15 per cent over the next three budgets, 1.79 increase before the 2012 election then increases totalling 12.14 per cent over the next three budgets.

You only need to look at the fact that our revenue targets in 2016-17 and 2017 18 will go from $1 billion up to $1.1 billion. So when it comes to rates, which is a massive part of the budget, we didn't get to debate it, we didn't get to discuss it. Very few LNP Councillors want to discuss it. But I can tell you now, the pain, the difficulties, the cost of living pressures that we see day in, day out, or certainly on this side of the Chamber, aren't going to be addressed in any way, shape or form under this LNP Council.

It is simply not good enough to say—and after 12 years of writing budgets, to say, well that's just the way it is. Well, Madam Chair, I think the people of Brisbane deserve better than that and we, as the custodians of the city's finances, ought to be striving to do what we can. I don't think there's been a time in Brisbane's history where families have not been struggling more. Time and time again, I hear horrific stories of families with employment difficulties, with cost of living pressures. Whether it be through their rates, through their utilities bills, we as the controllers of the levers should be doing more and we should be fighting more than simply to dismiss them.

After 12 years in office and 30 years of being a Councillor, I can understand when administration gets tired and run out of ideas. We've seen that within this budget for the 2015-2016. No great new initiatives, no great announcements, just mere trinkets sprinkled across the city to try and get through to the next Council election. Well we aren't simply elected here to be administration, we're elected to lead. That's what our city requires.

Going through some of the service items and some of the programs that we have debated, it's a pretty sorry tale at the moment of where we're looking at. The LORD MAYOR asked for alternative ideas and alternative vision, well we want to make a commitment to the people of Brisbane that we will, when we honour and when we say something, those commitments will be made in a budget.

Not like the LNP where we see announcements made on one day and the same pattern occurring time and time again. Cutbacks and rollovers, money pushed over to year after year. When it comes to budget time, as I said, a few trinkets to be sprinkled across the city, as good as it gets. Well we think Brisbane deserves a whole lot better. Particularly when it comes to some of those key announcements where we've debated over the week, whether it be through parking revenue and the issues surrounding city parking which still haven't been resolved, which still the only solution to city parking is a revenue-based solution.

Well we say, and Rod Harding, our lord mayoral candidate says, we should be looking at a planning and public transport solution when it comes to parking. Disappointingly in this whole budget debate, we've seen no focus and even in program Future Brisbane today, there was no analysis or no support for the City Plan. No mention, no discussion at all. We know that that is the key critical issue facing a number of families and residents right across the city but yet this budget completely ignores that issue and completely ignores those views.

When it comes to public transport, we know that that will be a focal point at the next Council election. This addiction that the LNP Council has had to tolled infrastructure—and I note that the LORD MAYOR will be welcoming the first cars through Legacy Way tonight—

Councillors interjecting.

Councillor DICK: That's right, with a throwback just to the past of someone whose name's never really mentioned around here anymore, of course the former Lord Mayor, Campbell Newman. All I say about that is, well doesn't that say it all. Talk about the day of the budget being passed, the day that we are looking towards the future, we yank right back to the past and enable Campbell Newman, the architect for most of this that we're cleaning up today and that we're dealing with the mess and misery that he delivered for the people of Brisbane. Then sadly, transferred to the people of Queensland.

We saw what the legacy for that will be is a tired and sorry state for the people of Queensland, but luckily a new government led under Annastacia Palaszczuk will clean up and leave.

Councillors interjecting.

Councillor DICK: Well, if Campbell Newman was so good, why isn't he still Premier?

Councillor DICK: That question that will never be answered.

Chairman: Order.

Councillor DICK: The great saviour, Madam Chair, the great visionary, the great leader, a disgraceful note in history, that's what he's become, that's what he is.

Chairman: Councillor DICK, I have to say you're getting well off the 2015-16 Budget for Brisbane City Council.

Councillor DICK: Sure, Madam Chair.

Councillor DICK: I'm talking about not only Legacy Way but I'm talking about the legacy of debt and the legacy of failed projects under his leadership and now under LORD MAYOR Graham Quirk, has left the people of Brisbane. Whether it be Clem7, whether it be the Go Between Bridge or now Legacy Way, which we know has struggled even to the point of delays. We certainly hope that it's a success for the people of Brisbane, because ultimately we'll be paying that debt off for years and another generation.

But moving on, Madam Chair, one of the key announcements that came out of the budget, disappointingly, rejected by the LNP, was of course a new storms reserve to prepare our city for future natural disasters. Positive, strong alternatives being put forward to the people of Brisbane because there is a need for this. Just as we saw with commentary when we ran out of money, when the people of Brisbane were left in the lurch, well Labor has a different approach, a better way to actually start preparing for the future, not looking to the past; looking to the future.

Just as we saw it written at the time, it was an extraordinary admission of failure by our civic leaders, a failure to plan for storms that is so comprehensive the Brisbane City Council coffers were empty less than a month into the storm season.

Chairman: Councillor DICK, your time has expired, thank you.

Before we continue, just to put the record straight, I would point out that under section 74, subsection 6 of the Meetings Local Law, an extension of time on debate of programs is there. It only has to be a motion moved for an extension. So it's in the rules, has been for many years. As that concludes the presentation and consideration of the 2015-16 Annual Plan and Budget—oh sorry, I'd better put the motion, hadn't I, sorry.

LORD MAYOR, do you wish to close the debate?

Councillor JOHNSTON: No, no, the speakers, Margaret.

Chairman: Sorry, further speakers on the—yes, Councillor JOHNSTON.

Councillors interjecting.

Chairman: Councillor JOHNSTON.

Councillor JOHNSTON: Madam Chairman, I rise to speak on the adoption of the annual plan and the budget in the whole. Madam Chairman, I've learnt a couple of things out of this budget debate today and I'm pleased in some way to find out that that the reason the LORD MAYOR is starving Tennyson Ward of funds in this budget that are vitally needed for local projects is not because of me, but as Councillors on the other side like Councillor OWEN-TAYLOR and Councillor ADAMS have said in this Chamber, it's because we got all that flood money in 2011 and we got a windfall from the floods. That I should stop whining because we did really well out of the floods.

Now, Madam Chairman, that's going to stick with me for a very long time and I'm certainly going to be letting my residents know that the decision makers in this Council feel that it's appropriate to say that the floods were a windfall for my community. They certainly were not and I think it shows the mean spirited nature of the LORD MAYOR's team when he has Councillors who stand up and say these things on the public record. It was completely wrong and inappropriate yesterday and it is now a matter of public record that both of them have said these things.

So, Madam Chairman, I haven't voted for many of the programs before us today because they do not deliver for the residents of Tennyson Ward. I note that this budget is increasing rates in my area by an astronomical amount. Chelmer, Graceville and Sherwood have the highest rates increases in the city, yet these residents are not seeing a return on the investment that they make in this city through their rates.

Last year, this Council raised $31 million from Tennyson Ward residents and this year it'll be higher again. Yet we're not seeing any spending of significance out in the suburbs that I represent. Now we know the reason, and I just think that's disgraceful. I am bitterly disappointed—yes, Councillor OWEN TAYLOR, that's very grown up, good work. I think it's very disappointing that that's the way that they have chosen to go.

I also note the LORD MAYOR, because he's not been in the Chamber—he's been in the Chamber for maybe an hour of the whole budget debate, and in his summing up today, he said—

LORD MAYOR: Point of order, Madam Chairman.

Chairman: Yes, point of order against you, Councillor JOHNSTON.

LORD MAYOR: I'm not going to allow the councillor for Tennyson to get away with that. That is completely inaccurate. She talks about accuracy in here; she ought to correct the record on that.

Chairman: Thank you, LORD MAYOR. I uphold the point of order.

Councillor JOHNSTON, do you wish to continue your debate? You were intent on putting something in the minutes that is not true; the LORD MAYOR has corrected it. If you want to continue your debate, continue.

Councillor JOHNSTON: Thank you, Madam Chairman. I know there is no such point of order. But the LORD MAYOR has not been in the Chamber for most of the budget debate, yet in summing up, he stood here in this Chamber just a few minutes ago and he said, no one has put up any other ideas about what should happen in this city.

Now let's be clear. Yesterday I moved three amendments to the budget. One was ruled out of order on a procedural basis, which I certainly did not agree with. Two were voted down by the LNP without a single word being said in justification for voting them down. These were important local projects that would have delivered in my area and LORD MAYOR, it's no wonder you don't know what's going on in this city because you're not here to listen and then you stand up in this place and claim no one else has any other ideas.

Well you are wrong and I have tried in this budget to make sure that the investment that is needed in Tennyson Ward is delivered. The person who is not delivering is the person who's handed down this budget and has used the power of their numbers in this place to run roughshod over fairness and equity in the delivery of services to this city. That is the LORD MAYOR and LNP Councillors.

LORD MAYOR: Madam Chairman, would the Councillor take a question?

Chairman: Point of order, yes, Councillor JOHNSTON, will you take a question from the LORD MAYOR?

Councillor JOHNSTON: Yes, I will.

LORD MAYOR: Well if things are so bad, Councillor JOHNSTON, will you give the commitment to this Chamber today, given that my lord mayoralty is so bad, that you will run for Lord Mayor?

Councillor JOHNSTON: I don't think the CEO of Council who's present in the Chamber could cope with that. I think that there would be a very big problem with that, Madam Chairman. But LORD MAYOR, I love your thinking.

Chairman: Order.

Councillor JOHNSTON: If you think that I'm your competitor, LORD MAYOR, that reflects, I think, on you more than me, Madam Chairman. I have said—

Chairman: Order.

Councillor JOHNSTON: I have said—

Chairman: Order.

Chairman: Order.

Councillor JOHNSTON: I have said, Madam Chairman, very clearly that I am here to fight for Tennyson Ward residents.

Councillors interjecting.

Councillor JOHNSTON: Madam Chairman, it is true, I'll indulge the LORD MAYOR's comments, it is true from time to time I have people from all over the city who come along to me and say, oh Nicole, you should run for LORD MAYOR. Madam Chairman, it's flattering, but I'm not—

Chairman: Order.

Councillor JOHNSTON: —Madam Chairman—Madam Chairman, I'm here to represent Tennyson Ward residents, that's why I was elected and my job in this place is to fight for them. That's what I will do. This budget does not deliver for those residents—

Councillors interjecting.

Councillor JOHNSTON: Yes, rips them off, thank you very much, Councillor CUMMING. $31 million last year, Madam Chairman, in rates and they get maybe a few million dollars in actual expenditure. That is not on, Madam Chairman. Not only have I been putting up ideas as to what should be funded on a day to day basis in this city, I put it up in annual submissions to the LORD MAYOR, I move amendments in this place, Madam Chairman, and the LORD MAYOR just glosses over it like he's the only one that's got ideas about what should happen, Madam Chairman. Clearly that's not the case.

It is not reasonable and it is not fair for the LORD MAYOR to simply take from the residents of Tennyson Ward and give nothing in return—or give very little, I apologise, in return. The disgraceful shambles of estimates that we've had, that's what needs to be fixed up, I can tell you now. Councillor SIMMONDS giving a 15 minute answer and he was such a joke while he was doing it—yes, Councillor SUTTON and I had a bit of fun and made him repeat it because—

Councillors interjecting.

Councillor JOHNSTON: —who gives a 15 minute answer—

Chairman: Order.

Councillor JOHNSTON: Who gives a 15 minute answer to a question he's just spent an hour talking about in the same presentation. Councillor ADAMS was so intent on not talking about the budget this year that she talked about last year's budget, Madam Chairman, for a whole hour. These people have lost the plot. I really hope that residents will see through what is a budget that is very low on substance, that fails to deliver in some parts of our city and that does not act in a fair way in ensuring that revenue and service delivery is carried out for all people of this city.

The LORD MAYOR has let residents down out my way and I am certain when we come to the budget—sorry, the election next year that they will remember that when they come to vote. Because he has personally done this through this budget process and, Madam Chairman, I will hold him to account.

Chairman: Further debate on the budget as a whole?

Councillor FLESSER.

Councillor FLESSER: Thank you, Madam Chair. Madam Chair, I'm sure that you would appreciate how disappointed I am this is my last budget in this Council Chamber.

Councillor FLESSER: Madam Chair, what really disappoints me, I suppose, is that in the previous years, Councillors have not been given the opportunity to speak in detail to Program 8, and that of course is where the rates increases are for our constituents, and the Council's finance as well, Madam Chair, and what a disappointment it is that ratepayers aren't given the opportunity to listen to what their elected representatives have got to say about the financial management of this Council.

Madam Chair, Councillor DICK spoke about those rates increases this year and how curious it is that the rates increase is lower this year leading up to election as compared to what it's been in previous year. But, Madam Chair, I think it is important for ratepayers to understand what is actually in this budget for future years. While the increase according to the Administration is 2.5 per cent average rates, you see that in the page 8 of the document, it's always my page in the Council budget, page 8 clearly shows that the increase in rates, including growth, is 3.98 per cent between last year and this year. 2.5 per cent average rates, 1.5 per cent growth, Madam Chair, I can live with that.

But when you look at the—in the future years, we see that the rates increases proposed for next year and the year after both average 5.5 per cent. So, Madam Chair, when asked a Chair in the Committee, well what is the percentage increase in those years for actually the number of rateable properties, of course Councillor SIMMONDS never provided that because that would have allowed Councillors to work out what the rates increases are planned for those future years.

But, Madam Chair, even if growth stays at 1.5 per cent like it has this year, Madam Chair, ratepayers are looking at a four per cent increase average rates next year and four per cent the year after that. So that pattern of reduced rates increases the year just before an election clearly is going to continue under this LNP Administration. I think ratepayers should be aware of that and they should consider that when the LNP make the fantastic claims about keeping rates low.

Madam Chair, also on page 8 of course of the budget, I'd like to direct Council's attention to the interest dividend and tax equivalent payments. Now, Madam Chair, this year $177 million in there, and I think that ratepayers deserve to know that of that revenue that Council is getting, that $177 million, $124 million is a direct payment from Queensland Urban Utilities (QUU) to this Council. Now, Madam Chair, you would have thought that as we've done the deal to reduce Council's—QUU debt or exchange QUU's debt with Council to Queensland Treasury Corporation, you would expect that QUU would be paying less money to Council.

But, Madam Chair, not they're not. $124 million, Madam Chair, the dividends are up, the tax equivalent payments are up, clearly we're eating into QUU's profits and probably their reserves as well. but I think that ratepayers deserve to know that when they pay their rates bill, $275 on average of their rates bill—sorry, of their water bill—when ratepayers pay their water bill, $275 on average is actually coming straight back to this Council to pay for debt, for tunnel debts and for Council projects.

I think that it's interesting that I know that the LNP's philosophical view is that you should only be paid—or user pays. Well I think that it's a bit hard to reconcile that view with what's actually happening in this Council. $275 per ratepayer, per year coming straight from your water bills. It's not going into the cost of delivering water, new pipes, pumping stations and so on, it's coming straight to this Council for Council to spend as it sees fit. I think that ratepayers should be aware of that and maybe that's something that needs to be changed in the future. Certainly it needs to be more transparent.

Madam Chair, there's one very worrying aspect I found in the budget and that's in relation to other revenue. Not for the coming year but for the year after. The other revenue proposed for 2016-17 is $203 million. Madam Chair, I noticed that that was a bit curious because it was about $100 million higher than last year, this year and the year after, in 2017-18. Madam Chair, it became apparent what's happened there, in an answer to one of the questions in the committee presentation.

Madam Chair, there's a $100 million payment coming from QML that particular year as part of the Legacy Way deal. Now, Madam Chair, Councillors would recall in 2013 the LORD MAYOR brought to this Chamber a deal to sell off the tolling rights to QMH then, which has now been transferred to QML. But in that arrangement, we would remember there was a lot of debate about how much Council was actually going to get in return for those tolling rights.

There was a debate and even the Council E&C documents that the LORD MAYOR brought to the Council Chamber showed a huge discrepancy of $450 million between what he said Council was going to get for the tolling rights and what QMH thought they were going to be paying for the tolling rights. Curiously for the first time this year, one of those figures is starting to show up in the budget. That's the year two for the Legacy Way payment to Council.

In the document that came to Council, it showed that QMH thought that they'd be paying $100 million in 2016-17 year and the document the LORD MAYOR brought said that—predicted that they would be paying $200 million. So, Madam Chair, you would have thought that when you drilled down into the figures and look at that other revenue figure, you would have thought that the LORD MAYOR and the LNP Administration would have been standing by their figures.

But when we asked a question about what that $203 million was made of, Madam Chair, the answer came back that only $100 million has been budgeted to come from QML. So, Madam Chair, it seems to me that the LORD MAYOR has given up on his traffic forecast projections for Legacy Way. If he felt so strongly about it when he brought the document to Council that we would be paid $200 million in that year yet we see in this budget that he's only budgeting for $100 million.

Madam Chair, that is a $100 million hit to ratepayers if it's true. So, Madam Chair, I think that that's something that obviously needs some explanation, why is this Council only predicting the QMH case for traffic projections and not the case that came to this Council. A $100 million hit to ratepayers next year, Madam Chair, is a huge amount of money and there needs to be an explanation and of course there's been no opportunity to ask for an explanation during this budget debate.

Madam Chair, I'll just move onto reserves and much has been said, both by the lord mayoral candidate—the Labor lord mayoral candidate and also those of us on this side about reserves. Clearly there does need to be a natural disaster reserve. We remember the awful editorial from The Courier-Mail when the LORD MAYOR came out and said that the cupboard is bare, saying that Brisbane's residents should be preparing for storms but clearly this Council was not preparing for storms.

So I think that it's a grave mistake that there is no specific reserve to look out for—clearly this Council's going to suffer more storms, more flooding, as climate change has a greater effect on Brisbane. But, Madam Chair, we just don't seem to be prepared to look into the future and make sure that there's money set aside.

Madam Chair, the last couple of items I want to talk about just quickly, CBIC, City of Brisbane Investment Corporation, Madam Chair, between that and Brisbane Marketing, I see the two things that have really gone wrong with this Council in the time that I've been here. Madam Chair, Council—the Civic Cabinet and Council collectively used to manage all the property negotiations, the property selling and buying in this city. We used to have a marketing section that did all the marketing and promotions within Council, Madam Chair, and they were—those organisations, or those parts of Council were obviously accountable to us.

What we see today is City of Brisbane Investment Corporation run by a group of directors, they are managing $236 million worth of ratepayers assets. Madam Chair, there is—and the LORD MAYOR once a year brings the report, he always—brings the report to Council, he always makes it clear that he doesn't really have to. But, Madam Chair, that's not good enough. That the Councillors here are not getting proper reports of any information at all about the activities of City of Brisbane Investment Corporation when in the past, all those operations used to come to Council for full debate and full disclosure.

Likewise for Brisbane Marketing just to hand them over $25 million, Madam Chair, without the direct control by Councillors, by the senior officers in this Council, Madam Chair, I think is a disgrace. That's something that clearly needs to come back under Council control.

Madam Chair, I've seen what's happening in this Council before. It's a bit of—

Chairman: Councillor FLESSER, your time has expired for the last time.

Councillors interjecting.

Chairman: Is there any further debate on the budget as a whole?

LORD MAYOR, do you wish to close the debate?

LORD MAYOR: Well thanks very much, Madam Chairman. Well, Madam Chairman, we've heard again today a range of issues through this debate. Firstly, it was claimed that I didn't say anything about rates, well, Madam Chairman, a viewing of the Hansard will reveal that I absolutely did. I made very clear reference of the $0.62 on average, Madam Chairman, per week for the owner occupied residential ratepayers of this city, Madam Chairman, and the 2.5 per cent—all the numbers are there, they're all public—they're all very public, Madam Chairman, restating over and over again, Madam Chairman, adds nothing to the debate.

I would make the point, and it's been raised in this debate about the issue of some sort of a reserve for disasters. Madam Chairman, we have taken the view, and I have said this previously, that we would not have a reserve, that we would gather the funds necessary at the time of an event occurring. We would rather take that approach than to have a pool of money sitting there which is purely a reserve which may not be needed, with no certainty. There is no certainty and I hope you're not going to play God over there today, because there is no certainty whether we will have a significant storm event of the size and magnitude requiring significant expenditure by this Council.

Now, Madam Chairman, that's a view they have, this is a—it's a policy difference. But I'm simply—they have a view, they want to put aside those millions for the reserve. We say this, Madam Chairman, we already have a significant reserve, a future fund in the CBIC. In this budget, Madam Chairman, as I said the other day, there is $20 million coming back from that fund by way of a dividend return from this city.

Councillor FLESSER, while he calls for more information today, also needs to acknowledge that we've seen double-digit returns from that fund, I think in every year since its operating. That's not going to be the case every year, Madam Chairman, that won't be a sustainable figure, but it has been very, very significant in terms of building the asset base of that fund.

Now are these same Councillors going to call for the Queensland Government to abolish the Queensland Investment Corporation? Are they going to do that, Madam Chairman? Or would that be perhaps seen as assets sales? I don't know. But I do know, Madam Chairman, that they seem to think it's all right for the State Government to have a future fund but not all right for this city government, and, Madam Chairman, it's simply wrong.

There's been talk about employment, Madam Chairman, about hurt out there, people having trouble finding employment. Madam Chairman, I concur that it is a tough going for people out there in Brisbane, for a lot of people. Our budget, Madam Chairman, is about changing that, it is about creating jobs. Not only for now, but also for the long term. That's why we've invested more around apprenticeship, cadetship opportunities, Madam Chairman, internship opportunities to give young people the experience. That's why I mention the CoderDojo program as well.

But equally, it's about making sure through that Brisbane 2022 document that we create opportunities for the future. As Councillor SCHRINNER said earlier, about growing the cake and making sure that we develop for the future. Madam Chairman, Councillor JOHNSTON today has clearly indicated that she is all words and no guts when it comes to the opportunity to really stand up—

Chairman: Order.

LORD MAYOR: —to really stand up if she truly believes what she says that the lord mayoralty of this city is so bad your—

Councillors interjecting.

Chairman: Order.

Councillor JOHNSTON.

LORD MAYOR: —conscious ought to drive you to have a go. It ought to drive you to have a go, Madam Chairman, and I lay that challenge on the table and it can sit on that table, Madam Chairman—

Chairman: Councillor JOHNSTON.

LORD MAYOR: —for Councillor JOHNSTON to revisit every week when we come back in the next session. Madam Chairman, I thank Councillor FLESSER for a bit of Flessernomics. I'm going to miss it. I'm going to miss the Flessernomics exercises that we've had over time. Madam Chairman, and he's trotted out today again, as he always does, the futures in terms of—and I don't think the futures have been right once yet, Madam Chairman, I can't remember in 30 years in this place the futures actually being exact in terms of revenue increases.

But the Labor Party were right about one thing; they seemed to say something about the—there seems to be higher rate increases in some years and lower ones in other years. Madam Chairman, they didn't differentiate, they just had high ones all the time. It was very simple. So, Madam Chairman, I believe this budget is one which will advance our city. There are always going to be more needs out there, Madam Chairman, but it is a case of meeting that balance between affordability and advancement of our city and its suburbs. Madam Chairman, I have great pleasure in commending the budget to the Chamber.

Chairman: As that concludes the presentation and consideration of the 2015-16 Annual Plan and Budget—no, I haven't done that bit, sorry. I'll go back again. I'm really keen to get out of this. I will now put the motion.
Motion put:

The Chairman submitted the motion for the adoption of the 2015-16 Budget to the Chamber and it was declared carried on the voices.

CHAIRMAN

James Withers (Senior Council and Committee Officer)

Shivaji Solao (Council and Committee Officer)

Robert Southwood (Acting Council and Committee Officer)

[4350 Meeting (Budget) – 8 June 2011